Fort Carson Soldier Who Was Arrested after Barricading Himself

A Fort Carson soldier who barricaded himself in his home Sunday and threatened to harm officers and himself told authorities he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.

Sgt. 1st Class Raymond San Nicholas Fernandez, 39, was arrested Sunday on suspicion of prohibited use of a weapon and reckless endangerment after it took authorities hours to talk him into surrendering, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

"Fort Carson is cooperating with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and thank the department for their assistance in this incident," Fort Carson officials said in a release. They deferred all other questions to the sheriff's office.

The incident started around 1 p.m. Sunday when Fernandez's wife called 911 to report that a phone call with her husband had ended abruptly and that she believed she heard gunshots before he hung up, the sheriff's office said.

When deputies arrived at his Saguaro Circle home, the doors were locked and all windows were covered, the sheriff's office said. After repeated knocks at the door went unanswered, deputies tried to force their way inside to check on Fernandez and were met with threats of harm. Fernandez also threatened his own life, the sheriff's office said.

He told them he had untreated PTSD, and deputies said he appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He said he had other weapons in the home, the sheriff's office said.

The sheriff office's SWAT unit, Crisis Negotiation and K-9 teams talked with the suspect for nearly three hours until Fernandez was "coaxed out" of the home and arrested without incident, the office said.

He was unharmed, sheriff's office spokeswoman Jackie Kirby said.

Authorities had prior contact with Fernandez last week when he was reported missing. At the time, the sheriff's office said he was "armed and a danger to himself."

The report never was updated as to whether Fernandez was found.

Fernandez has served 16 years in the military and is a helicopter repairer for the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade in the 4th Infantry Division, according to Fort Carson records.

He's earned as many as 28 military awards, including a National Defense Service Medal, Kosovo Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star, Korea Defense Service Medal, NATO medal and Senior Army Aircraft Crewman Badge.